1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to a microwave energy intensification system for use in a microwave cooking appliance for rapidly and uniformly processing a food item.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, high-speed microwave processing or cooking of certain types of food items will result in poor food quality due to uneven cooking. Typically, central and outer sections of a food item may not be heated to the same temperature for the same time period. This is particularly true when cooking food items having different densities, such as a combination egg and meat filled product.
Safety concerns relating to contamination from pathogenic microorganisms require that certain food items be heated above 165° F. (74° C.) prior to human consumption. In particular, dairy and meat items must be pasteurized or cooked for a prescribed period above approximately 165° F. (74° C.) or else a consumer runs the risk of consuming a food item contaminated with a pathogenic bacteria. Unfortunately, when exposing a food item to the pasteurization process, the temperature distribution within a food item, in particular a combination food item, is not uniform. As is often the case, targeting 165° F. (74° C.) throughout a particular food item results in the outer edge portions of the food item achieving temperatures well beyond the targeted value. Consequently, the edges of the food item are generally over cooked and the central portion under cooked. Actually, if the edges of the food item are not allowed to “burn” for a sufficient time period, the central portions may not achieve the targeted temperature value. In this case, the consumer may still be exposed to harmful pathogenic microorganisms.
Various methods have been proposed in the prior art to more uniformly cook a food item. However, most of the methods proposed inherently involve various tradeoffs which negatively impact cooking efficiency, food costs and processing times. Proposed methods include processing the food for longer time periods at reduced power levels, reformulating the food items, and using a single mode microwave oven design, all of which necessarily increase cook times and/or add significant costs which, in the highly competitive field of microwave cooking, is not acceptable.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a microwave intensification system which will provide for a uniform cooking environment for food items. More specifically, there exists a need for a microwave intensification system which will enable a food item to be uniformly cooked to a targeted temperature zone without detrimentally affecting the overall quality of the final food product.